Victoria Moore: Sicilian reds are made for summer drinking

She had me at “griddled aubergine left overnight in a deep pool of olive oil with chilli and garlic”. By the time I got to “rich red and silky peperonata” I was lost. Both of these were suggested accompaniments for chicken fried in breadcrumbs; the cook is Rachel Roddy, whose new book, Two Kitchens: Family Recipes from Sicily and Rome, is just out.

Of course, I can’t read about food like that without also thinking about what will be in my glass. With Sicilian food the tropical, floral, and candied-peel nuances of local whites made with grecanico, grillo or fiano are particularly appealing. More often it’s Sicilian red I crave. The grape that gets serious winos going is nerello mascalese, which makes impressive, pinot-like reds and is grown on the lava-riven slopes of Mount Etna. The grapes I have in mind are nero d’avola and frappato. Nero d’avola is the most widely planted red grape and the...